Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
| Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology | |
|---|---|
| Category: | research Institute |
| Carrier: | Max Planck Society |
| Legal form of the carrier: | Registered association |
| Seat of the wearer: | Munich |
| Facility location: | Marburg |
| Type of research: | Basic research |
| Subjects: | Natural sciences |
| Areas of expertise: | Microbiology , organismic interactions, biochemistry |
| Basic funding: | Federal government (50%), states (50%) |
| Management: | Victor Sourjik Managing Director |
| Homepage: | www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/ |
The aim of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology (MPIterMic) is to understand how microorganisms function on the molecular and cellular level as well as in communities. Microorganisms are the oldest and by far the most abundant and diverse inhabitants of the world. Their evolutionary success is largely based on three characteristics: their immense metabolic capacities that exceed those of all other life forms, their ability to adapt to environmental changes and their multitude of interactions with other organisms. The strategies that microorganisms have evolved allow them to reproduce in virtually any ecological niche. In this way, microorganisms play a central role in processes of fundamental importance, including the conversion of biomass, biogeochemical material cycles and photosynthesis, and they have a major impact on the physiology of plants and animals.
The research groups at MPIterMic cover microbiological research at all levels, from protein structure determination, physiology, metabolism, molecular and cellular microbiology to host-microbe interactions and microbial communities. The latest technologies are used in combination with computer modeling and analysis and synthetic approaches.
The directors at MPIterMic are Regine Kahmann , Lotte Søgaard-Andersen , Victor Sourjik and Tobias J. Erb .
history
The Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology (MPIterMic) was founded on January 1, 1991 in Marburg , Hesse . The founding director was Rudolf K. Thauer , Professor of Microbiology at the Philipps University in Marburg since 1976 . The first two departments were established in 1991; these were the "Biochemistry" department (headed by Rudolf K. Thauer ) and the "Biogeochemistry" department, which was headed by Ralf Conrad . These two departments were initially housed in a temporary building and in rooms of the Biology Department of Philipps University. At the same time, plans were started for a new building to accommodate the institute in the immediate vicinity of this department.
The two departments were relocated to the new building on April 1, 1996. The department "Organismic Interactions" under the direction of Regine Kahmann was established in 2000 as the third department. In 2004 the "Biochemistry" department was reduced to the size of a department-independent junior group. At the same time, the "Ecophysiology" department (under the direction of Lotte Søgaard-Andersen ) was set up. In 2007, when Rudolf K. Thauer retired, the "Biochemistry" department was closed. Until the end of 2014 he headed the emeritus group financed by the Max Planck Society. In 2013 Victor Sourjik accepted the institute's call to set up the "Systems and Synthetic Microbiology" department as the fourth department, which is also part of the LOEWE Research Center for Synthetic Microbiology. It is located in the university building next to the main MPIterMic building. Ralf Conrad retired in 2016, so the "Biogeochemistry" department was closed. In 2017, the second department was filled with Tobias J. Erb . He received the call from within the Max Planck Research Group Leader and heads the "Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism" department.
Organization and structure
The MPIterMic is divided into four departments, some of which include several working groups, as well as several independent junior research groups and central scientific service facilities.
The four departments are:
- Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism (under the direction of Tobias J. Erb )
- Ecophysiology (under the direction of Lotte Søgaard-Andersen )
- Organismic interactions (under the direction of Regine Kahmann )
- Systems and Synthetic Microbiology (under the direction of Victor Sourjik )
Emeritus Scientific Members are:
- Rudolf K. Thauer (Head of the "Biochemistry" Department from 1991 - 2007)
- Ralf Conrad (Head of the "Biogeochemistry" department from 1991 - 2016)
International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS)
The Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology operates the International Max Research School for Environmental, Cellular and Molecular Microbiology together with the Philipps University of Marburg . The IMPRS is a doctoral program that is completed in English. It consists of around 30 research groups. The spokesman for the IMPRS is Tobias J. Erb.
literature
- Roland H. Knauer: Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology Foreword by Ralf Conrad and Rudolf K. Thauer. Published by the Max Planck Society, Munich 1997 (series: Reports and communications of the Max Planck Society, issue 1997/5), ISSN 0341-7778
Web links
- Homepage of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
- Publications of the institute in the MPG's eDoc server
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 50 ° 48 ′ 24.5 ″ N , 8 ° 48 ′ 39.4 ″ E